Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-03-17
Death OF Capt. Eads.

Capt. james B. Eads, the famous engin-
Ger, died at Nassau, N. r., few days ago,
of pneumonia:
James b. Eads was born Mt Lawrence
burg, Ind, May %, 1929. With his parents
he live for a few years at Louisville, KY,
and in 1888, after the death OF his father,
he went to st. Louis, which city was his
home from that time. He was clerk on
lower Mississippi river steamboat in the
latter part of the '3os. In 1872 he formed
company for the purpose. Of recovering
sun6en vessels aud other property. in
which occupation his great national engin-
eering abilities were put to such use that
in 1851 lie was able to retire from the COM
pany with handsome fortune. When the
civil war broke out he submitted an elabo-
rate plan to the government for the de-
tense of the western waters and contract
eel for the construction of seven iron clad
gunboats for service on the Mississippi.
In 1872 he constructed for the same pur-
carrying two turrets each. Many
valuable new features of his own
invention were introduced In these vessels.
His great reputation as civil engineer
and constructed the steel arch bridge over
the Mississippi at st. Louis, a work which,
owing to the deep shifting sand Of tho
river-hed. had been considered almost inn
possible OF execution. Capt. Eads was
most prominently known, however, in
mouths Of the Mississippi to the heaviest
draught ships. Instead Of q ship canal he
deepened the South Pass OF the delta by q
system OF ietties concentrating the We
lority of the current obtaining erma-
nent depth Of twenty feet over bar on
which was but eight feet of water. At
the time Of his death. Capt. Eads' atten-
ton was engaged with the project OF a
ship railway acros. the i>thmus of Pam.
maa scheme which was before the United
States senate during the session just closed.
Valuable Books.
The university library has Just received
the $50 volumes of old aud rare books be-
queathed to it by William w. Murphy,
formerly United States consul general at
Frank horton the Maine, who died last sum-
mer. The books have not yet been cata-
logued, but they are especially rich in old
maps. They are in Greek, Latin and Eng
lish text, many Of them hundreds of years
old and covering a wide variety OF sub
1ects. All are In good state of preserva-
ton and are such as to delight the anti
quarian. Mr.. Murphy was formerly a res
ident of Jonesville, Hillsdale county. and
was grea: FREUD Of Chancellor Tappan.
The bequest was entirely unexpected and
furnishes an example, which Others Of
Michigan's sons, who have acquired rare
or valuable collections OF books might fol-
low.
The Goethe library, purchased through
the liberality of the German citizens OF
the state, now numbers 625 volumes. Eigh.
ty-six new volumes have been raised this
week, consisting principally Of criticisms
OF commentaries upon the works of the
great German poet. Some OF the volumes
IN the library are elegantly illustrated.
Nearly all the editions Of Goethe's works
are now contained in the library, and these
comprise about half the number of vol
umes About q quarter of the volumes
are English TRANSACTIONS or commentaries.
complete collection of Geothe's works to
be found In this country. About 900 Of
the fund vet remains for imm ediate ex-
penditure. The raising of q permanent
fund to be placed at interest 20 maintain
some 500 has been raised for this purpose.
--FrW Pvsss.